Turning oranges into wine

Members of the COMUCAP co-operative making orange wine [Marcella Haddad]

When COMUCAP members formed an orange-wine making cooperative, each woman had to bring 100 oranges. They would peel and juice them by hand. Now they have their own juicing machine – and their own building where they can produce their wines. The money they receive from selling the wine is improving their lives and the opportunities for their children.

COMUCAP (the Coordinator of Rural Women in La Paz) is supported by CAFOD partner COMAL. The women received training in wine making in 1999 and started making wine in 2000. From October to March they make orange wine, from April they make raspberry wine. They bought the juicer from Brazil with a loan from COMUCAP in 2000.

Adina Lopez Manuelez is one of the founders of COMUCAP. She has been working with them since 1998.

“Our dream is to improve the lives of every member. Now we want to help them improve their houses because they badly need this help.

Before, we suffered. We didn’t have adequate housing. We only thought about the here and now. We couldn’t think about the future.”

After a few years’ wine-making, Adina’s family moved from their straw hut into a 3-bedroom home made of adobe with a living room, two kitchens and a tiled roof. In 2003 they got electricity.

“We are always looking for a way to improve things because of the poverty we lived before,” she says.

“Already my children and grandchildren don’t have to live the way I lived. We can afford decent clothes for them.

Orange wine [Marcella Haddad]

The organisation has been very important for me. We all see each other as a family, we put aside our differences. Thank God for giving us the knowledge to make this a business. I believe we should all share things together.”

“Poverty is in oneself – when someone closes down and just accepts things the way they are rather than changing their life for the better.

When help like that from CAFOD comes, we each build on the support it gives us and you can see the results.”

Melba Romero is also a member of the orange-wine making cooperative. She has also received primary education through COMUCAP and now teaches others:

“The main change is that we used to be closed in. Now we can invite other members home and teach others. I would never have dreamt I would be a teacher.

I like to sing and dance in my house. I never did this before I was just seen as a mother. I feel more relaxed now. I feel lighter. I enjoy myself much more anywhere I go.

Before we couldn’t buy the clothes we needed for all our children. Now I can buy what they need.

We would like to share our experiences. We feel very proud that people from other countries want to know about our work here.”

Dionisia Hernandez, another COMUCAP member adds:

“United we can achieve anything. It gives us the strength to go forwards. With your help we’ve achieved this. But we still need your help as there’s lots more to be done.”

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